Bathing brush



NYE

BATHING BRUSH Jan. 15,

Filed Feb. 5, 1953 mMl-MHHHMM me 1 W a a m WWW? United States atent This invention has to do with amulti-purpose household utensil which will be referred-to .as a bathing brush or articletcarrier, :anditisa general object of the invention to provide a simple, ,practical, reflective and durable construction, particularly useful in the bathroom or around the ordinary household.

Bathrooms, and more iparticularlystall showers, .in the average .dwelling'aare oftenwv'ithout suitable fixtures upon which ;a bathing brush, wash -.cloth, itowel, or the like, may be placed by the bather, .and .in the .case ofthe :usual :bath'tub installation, the soap holder is not always conveniently located. In some instances a .bather rinsa :tub :or under a shower is unable to readilyfind hisor :her bathin'gibrush or soap, or is unable to conveniently yplace :sucharticles for future use or handling. In many cases,.it .iscommonzpractice tor a .bather E simply -drop the brush :or possibly the unitary rubber utensil, that will be termed a bathing brush, that can be easily and advantageously applied to I and removed from a wall'or other like "flat surface.

It is another object of this invention to provide a utensil of the character mentioned that is applicable to a wall, and Which'can be advantageously employed as a suitable support for wash cloths, towels and like articles.

Another object of the presentinvention is to provide a structurethat is inexpensive of manufacture'and which can be advantageously cast or molded of rubber or rubber-like material.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a bathing brush that is not subject to breakage and whichis' clean, neat, and compact and .also very convenient and effective in use.

It is another object of 'the invention to provide a bathing brush that is easy to handle and which is not subject to slipping in ones hand.

The invention provides, generally, a unitary rubber and .the like, and serving to rconveniently'receive the, .fingers of the ,user when the .device lisbeing used as a brush.

T various objects and features of my invention will be fully understood vtrom the following detailed description of .a typical preferred iorm and application of the invention, throughout which description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective -viewof theubrush provided by the ,presentinvention,showing a top, one side, and one end thereof. .Fig. 2 is a perspective view similar to Fig. l and showing the top, the other side, and the other end. Fig, .3 is :a longitudinal sectional View of the structure, being a view taken as indicated by line 3-3 on Fig. 1. Fig. 4is .a side elevation of the structure showing one .end thereof .in section and applied to await and showing-.a'cloth carried on thesection at-the other end-and deflecting it somewhat. Fig. Sis-a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the-other end of the structure applied toa wall, and'having an article (a coat hanger) supported thereby. Fig. 6-is a'schematic view of a portion of the structure engaged between the fingers =for manipulation thereof, .and @Fig. -7 is a view showing ;a mounting member that -may be employed 'to mount the structure perm'anentlyrif desired.

The structure provided by thepresent invention in cludes, generally, an ':elongate body A formed by "two oppositely disposed, outwardly opening, cup-like sections it) and .11, :either one of which can be employed in mounting the device as -.circumstances may require. A suitable brush B is .providediinsection 10 to occur'at one end of the'body. fl he .section :11 at the other end or the body forms aisuitable handle for-the brush.

Thesections 16 .and lliorm or may be used as --'anchoring means at the ends of the body. Each section is adapted to be unemployed to rel'easably s'e'c'ure the-structure to any suitable flat, smooth surface. Operating means :Eiszprovided adjacent'the-ends of thebody,*and F is adapted to be operated 'to release the structure from .a:supporting surface. The opening or gro'ovedike channel provided or occurring between the sections 10 and 51 1 .is adapted to receive and 'releasa'bly, retain objects engaged therein. 7 I

The ibody A is characterized by two oppositely disposed outwardly openingconcavo convex sections 10 "and Ti integrally joined in back-to-b'ack relationship. The section 10 forms a suitable head for the brush '-B,' and the section "1 1 "forms -a suitable handle C to be gripped when the -brush -is in use. 7 I

Thesections "and 1 1 of body A are in the form of vacuum cups and each' forms an anchoringmeans. "Each of the sections 10 :and 11 is characterized by a concave outer face 12, a convex inner face '13, and an annular sealing lip 'portion l l occurring at its outer peripheral portion or margin. The sealing lip 14 'is formed where the inner and outer faces '12 and 13 converge an'clc'ome together at the periphery of the section. .The lip por tion llt is, in eifect, a continuation of the faces 12 and 13, and forms suitable sealing means engageable with a surface to which 'thesection is applied.

The brush B is formed in or at the concave side '12 of section it) andis characterized by a plurality of bristlelike projections 15 of limited extent formed on or projecting therefrom. The bristles terminate ator close to a plane coincidental with that of the lip 14, so that the brush is substantially Within the confines of the sectionll'il, where it is exposed 'at'the outer end of'the section ill-tor the pmpose of scrubbing the body, "or "other part or surface. The bristles being flexible, the brush will not interfere with the use of the lip '14 as a mounting or sealing element when the section it) is employed to mount the device'on a wall, or the like. I

The structure provided "by the present invention can, when desired, be releasably secured to any available fl'at, smooth surface by applyingjeither section of the body thereto to act as a vacuum cup. If section 11 is applied to a supporting surface so that the brush carrying section 10 faces upwardly, the structure can beused as a holder for soap, or the like, and if soap is held, the bristles of In Fig. 4 of the drawings, I have shown the section 11 i of body A applied to a wall W, the section 11 having been pressed against the wall W to displace air from between the concave face 12 thereof and the wall W, establishing a vacuum, or minus pressure, which results in the device being elfectively retained in engagement with the wall W. The annular sealing lip 14 at the periphery of the section 11 engages the Wall W and effectively seals therewith. When either section of the body is applied to a wall as shown in Fig. 4, the other section is available as a holder or support. In Fig. 4 a cloth is shown applied to section 10 to be held thereby and section 10 is deflected somewhat from the weight of the cloth without disturbing the mountingof section 11 on the wall.

In Fig. of the drawings, I have shown the section releasably secured to the wall W, which application of the structure is identical to that described above, except that the bristles, or the brush B, face the wall. The bristles 15 of the brush B may be of such lengths, that when the section 10 is employed as shown in Fig. 5, they yield or bend as there illustrated, and in no way effect the sealing action of the lip 14. It is to be understood that in practice, the bristles may be of any desired length and the area around the bristles may be varied as desired. If the bristles are confined to the central portion of the cupshaped side of section 10, there will be left a smooth annular surface that will have a desirable massaging elfect as the brush is used.

Each body section is provided with operating means E, adapted to be employed to release the section from a surface to which it has been applied. The means E is in the form of an annular fin 17 located at the outer peripheral portion of the section and projects outward therefrom. The fins 17 may be on or formed as a continuation of the lips 14, or they may overlie the sealing lips 14 and be spaced rearwardly therefrom, as shown in the drawings.

In the preferred form of the invention, eachfin 17 is notched as at 18, forming a plurality of radially projecting tabs or fingers 19 that can be easily and advantageously engaged by the fingers of the user to lift the structure away from a surface to which it has been engaged. In Fig. 6, I have illustrated section 11 engaged with a wall W, and the operating means E of that section is engaged between the fingers M of the user preparatory to lifting the sealing lip 14 of section 11 away from the wall W to eifectively release. the structure therefrom.

The inner convex faces 13 of the sections 10 and 11 come together at the central portion of the structure, and they form an annular inwardly convergent groove 20 located midway between the ends of the body. The groove 20 thus formed provides a suitable holder for items of various kinds which may be engaged with the structure from any direction. Articles engaged in the groove can be advantageously engaged in and released from thegroove at will and when in the groove they will be gripped if they are engaged so as to spread the sections somewhat.

In the preferred form of the invention, the faces 13 of the sections 10 and 11 are provided with a plurality of tooth-like projections adapted to engage, and to a degree grip, the item or articles engaged in the groove 20 between the sections 10 and 11. The projections 15 also facilitate handling of the structure by the user as they prevent slipping of the structure in the hand of the user.

It will be apparent that when the structure of the present invention is secured to a wall, the sections 10 and 11 can be advantageously spread apart or rocked relative to each other about their point of joinder 19, so as to widen the groove 20 formed thereby to accommodate articles of considerable bulk. Rocking of one section can occur without disturbing the mounting of the other section as is shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

In Fig. 5 of the drawings I have shown a typical arti' cle, a coat hanger R, engaged in the groove 20. The hook 26 of the hanger R is shown seated in the groove.

By employing the structure set forth above, a person bathing in a stall shower, or the like, can, by pressing either end of the structure on a wall or other suitable surface, place the strutcure in a desirable and convenient location for further use. It will be apparent from the drawings that the structure provides a suitable fixture to receive wash cloths, towels, robes, bathing caps, and other like items, and it may be employed to hold soap, or the like.

It is preferred in practice, to provide central indentations 27 at the bottoms of the cup-like sections 10 and 11 so that a screw, or the like, can be readily forced through the body to effect fastening of the structure to a suitable support if so desired. I

In practice, a threaded element 60 such as a nut may be imbedded or carried in one section of the body at the center thereof where it is available to receive a screw fastener X such as is shown in Fig. 7. The fastener X may have an end adapted to be made fast to or with a support and it has a head 81 with a threaded part 82 engageable in nut 60. Through this construction the device can be mounted on any suitable support to be permanently located thereon.

The structure of the present invention is such that it can, in practice, be advantageously formed, as by mold ing, or the like, so that it is a single unitary block of rubber, or rubber-like material, making possible simple, inexpensive manufacturing possible.

Having described only a typical preferred form and application of my invention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specific details herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any variations or modifications that may appear to those skilled in the art and fall within the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, I claimz.

1. A bathing brush of the character described including, two concavo-convex spherical suction cup sections in back to back relationship so their concave sides face out, and bristles of limited extent on and projecting from the concave side of one section and confined to the central portion thereof forming a brush within the confines of the section, and leaving a smooth annular sealing surface in said section surrounding the brush, there being circumferentially and radially spaced gripping projections on the opposed convex sides of the sections.

2. A bathing brush of the character, described including, two concavo-convex suction cup sections in back to back relationship so their concave sides face out, and bristles of limited extent on and projecting from the concave side of one section and confined to the central portion thereof forming a brushwithin the confines of the section and leaving a smooth annular sealing surface in said section surrounding the brush, the peripheral portions of both the sections being in the form of sealing lips, there being an annular body engaging and fingers gripping fin about the peripheries of the opposed convex sides of the sections, the said fins being notched about their peripheries.

3. A bathing brush of the character described including, two concavo-convex sections in back-to-back relation so their concave sides face out, and bristles on and projecting from the concave side of one section and confined to the central portion thereof forming a brush and leaving a smooth annular sealing surface in said section surrounding the brush, the peripheral portions of both the sections being in the form of sealing lips, there being annular fins about the outer peripheries of the opposed convex sides of the sections, the said fins being notched about their peripheries and there being circumferentially and radially spaced gripping projections on the opposed convex sides of the sections.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Evertts Jun: 17, 1913 Palmer May 11, 1926 Cohen Sept. 6, 1927 Zimmet Nov. 15, 1927 Odell May 6, 1930 

